Fire-escape.



Patented septfll, I900.

C. R. HARRIS.

FIRE ESCAPE.

(Application filed Apr. 25, 1899. Renewed Jan. 23, 1900,)

5 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

lV/TNESSES [NVENTOR am M @77 4 A llorney ma nonms warns zo,PHO'YD-LlTNO.. WASHINGTON, u c

Patented Sept. ll, I900.

' C. R. HARRIS.

FIRE ESCAPE.

(Application filed. Apr. 25, 1899. 'Renewed Jan, 23, 1900.)

5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

WITNESSES C. R. HARRIS.

FIRE ESCAPE.

(Application flledApr. 25, 1899. Renewed Jan. 23. 1900.)

(No Model.) 5 Sheets8hee\ 3.

1&7. j

WITNESSES INVEN TOR a ww g w am THE mans PETERS co, vuufo-uma. wasnwm'ow, o. c

No. 657,735. Patented Sept. ll, I900;

c. R. HARRIS.

FIRE ESCAPE.

(Application filed. Apr. 25, 1899. Renewed Jan. 23, 1900') g 7 Allomeymzuonms PETERS co. PNOTOJJTHQ. msnmcncu. u. c.

Np. 657,735. Patented Sept. ll, I900.

C. R. HARRIS.

FIRE ESCAPE.

(Application filed Apr. 25, 1899. Renewed Jan. 23, 1900.) No Model.) 5Sheets-Sheet 5.

W/TNESSES .[NVENTOR M a/W4,

STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

CHARLES R. HARRIS, OF WILLIAMSPORT, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE HARRISSAFETY COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATIGN forming part er Letters Patent No. 657,735, datedSeptember 11, 1900.

Applicatlon filed April 25, 1899. Renewed January 23] 1900. $erial No.2,516. tNo model.)

in the art to which it appertains to make and use the satne.

My invention relates to an improvement in fire-escapes, one object ofthe invention being to provide a tire-escape of the flexible-ladder typewith releasing means adapted to be operated automatically when a fireoccurs in the building to which the escape is attached.

A further object isto so construct a fire-' escape of the type abovementioned that when released it will be projected and made to descendsome distance outwardly from the wall of the building to a point severalfeet above the sidewalk and then be automatically brought close to thebuilding and permitted to descend to the ground.

A further object is to provide the lower end of a flexible fire-escapeladder with an alarm adapted to be automatically set into operation whenthe ladder is released and to ring during the descent of the ladder.

A further object is to so construct a fireescape that it can be normallyinclosed Within a casing and so that it can be operated from any floorof the building to open the easing, project the ladder and cause it todescend, operate a gong in the casing, and cause the operation of analarm at the lowerend of the ladder to be sounded during the descent ofthe ladder.

XVith these objects in view the invention consists in certain novelfeatures of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, ashereinafter set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a view illustrating positionsof the parts when the reel shall have been released and before it shallhave reached the ground. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view throughthe easing, showing some of the operating mechanisnt in elevation andsome in dotted lines.

Fig. 3 is an end view with the casing shown in section. Fig. 4 is afront face view with the casing shown in section. Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9,and 10 are detail views.

A represents a casing, preferably made of metal and secured to the upperpart of a building by means of heavy eyebolts 1. The casing willpreferably be made ornamental in appearance and may be secured under orin the cornice of the building without detracting frotn thearchitectural appearance of the latter. Within the casing a flexibleladder-B and the various operating devices cooperating therewith arenormallyinclosed and protected from the weather, one end of the ladderper se being securely fastened to the eyebolts 1, which, as abovestated, secure the casing to the Wall of the building.

The ladder B is composed, preferably, of three wire cables, havingtubular rungs 3 securely fastened thereto at intervals, and the ladderthus constructed is wound upon a reel 2 and placed in the casing,wherein it is normally inclosed by means of doors 4 5. Each tubularrungis provided at three points with transverse holes for the passage ofthe cables, and the wall of the rung is depressed at each point Wherethe cables pass through, so as to bend said cables and cause them toconform to the curved contour of the inner wall of the rung, thusobviating all possibility of the rungs slipping on the cables. The door4 is tnade with a lip or water-shed which overhangs the upper edge ofthe door 5, and the latter is provided with shoulder 6, whichconstitutesa keeper for the engagementof a hook or catch 7 on the door4. A lever 8 is pivotally attached near one end to the inner face of thedoor 5, the short arm of said lever being adapted at its free end to bedisposed nnder the end of the hook or catch 7 and the long arm 5 of saidlever being curved and made to project sotne distance downwardly withinthe casing to be engaged, in a manner hereinafter explained, and movedto release the door 5.

Within the casing one end of a platform 0 is pivotally attached. Theplatform 0 is made in sections having rnle-joint hinged connections witheach other and adapted to be normally coiled or folded within thecasing, so as to inclose the reel and ladder wound thereon. Flanges 8,projecting from the platform, normally engage the peripheries of thereel-heads, so that when the platform is released these flanges willserve to force the reel and the ladder thereon out of the casing, theladder unwinding as the reel descends. To retain the platform in thisposition, it is provided with a cross-bar 9, adapted to rest on abracket 10, secured to the casing, and to be held against outwardmovement by means of the hooked end of a latch-lever 11. Chains 14 aresecured at their forward ends to the respective sides of the platform,and at their rear upper ends said chains are loosely connect-ed with abar 16, having a pivotal connection at its lower end to the casing.Other chains 17 are attached at one end to the first-mentioned chainsand at the other ends to the sides of the platform rearwardl y of theconnections of the first-mentioned chains therewith. Another chain 18 isloosely attached at one end to the hinged bar 16 and at its other endwith a rung of the ladder, at a point several feet from the upper end ofthe ladder. The upper end of the bar 16 passes through a slotted arm 19,secured to the casing, and between the said upper end of the pivoted barand the slotted arm a lever 20 is disposed to normally look the bar 16in its vertical position, so that when the platform and ladder shallhave been released the former will be stopped by the chains 14 17 andmade to assume a position at an angle of forty-five degrees, as shown inFig. 1, and so that a portion of the ladder will be held up by the chain18 to prevent the lower end of the ladder carrying the reel falling nearenough to the ground to injure any one'who might be passing. By causingthe platform to project outwardly from the building when first releasedthe ladder will be permitted to descend quickly without danger ofengaging the window-cornice, balconies, or other protuberances on thebuilding. Means will be provided for causing the ladder to approach thebuilding after having descended to a point about seven feet above theground and at the same time to further descend until the reel reachesthe ground. These results are accomplished by releasing the chains whichhold up the platform and ladder from the bar 16.

A drum 21 is mounted in one end of the casing A and provided with agear-wheel 22, which transmits motion toa pinion 23, mounted on asuitable stud on the end wall of the casing. A gear-wheel 24 is mountedto rotate with the pinion 23 and transmits motion to a pinion 25,carrying an escapementwheel ing the drum and gearing connectedtherewith. In order to permit the drum to be rotated to wind theweighted chain thereon Without imparting motion to the gearing, saiddrum is connected with the stud on which it is mounted by means of aratchet device 33.

A shaft 34 is mounted in the upper part of the casing and provided witha cross-head 35, disposed directly over and bearing upon the latch-lever11 at a point between the ends of the latter. A lever 37 is pivotallyattached to the face of the drum below the axis of the latter andprojects some distance upwardly, said lever being provided at a pointbetween its ends with laterally-projecting arms 38 39,

each having a pin 40 at its free end. An arm 41 is secured to the shaft34 and has its free end disposed between the pins 40 on the arms 38 39of lever 37, so that when said lever is moved in one direction or theother one of the pins will engage said arm 41 to turn the shaft 34, towhich the arm is secured, and thus turn the cross-head 35 in onedirection or the other, thereby moving the latch-lever 11 to release theplatform 0, attached thereto. When the platform is thus released, itwill fall upon the long arm of the lever 8 and turn said lever on itsfulcrum, thus causing the short arm thereof to push the hook or catch 7from the shoulder or keeper 6 and release the door 5. When the door 5 isthus opened, the platform will be projected outwardly at an angle ofabout forty-five degrees, as shown in Fig. 1, and the reel on which theladder is wound will be permitted to roll out and fall, unwind ing as itdescends, until the reel reaches a point within about seven feet fromthe ground, as hereinbefore intimated.

The lever 37 is provided with a shoulder 42, normally disposed betweentwo pins 43, projecting from the face of the drum, and to the free endof said lever a cord 44 is attached. The cord 44 is extended downthrough the building and fastened at its lower end to a fixed object,looped at intervals, each loop being held by means of a fuse 45,. sothat in case of fire one or more of the loops will be opened by themeltingof a fuse, and the cord be thus slackened. When the cord isslackened in this manner, the lever 37 will be released, and as the drum21 is prevented from rotation by the engagement of the shoulder 42 onthe lever with the pins 43 on the drum the drum will also be released.As the drum turns, one-of the pins 43 by its engagement with theshoulder 42 on the lever 37 will cause said lever to turn on its fulcruma distance limited by the size of the shoulder and the length of timethe pin is in engagement therewith while said pin is moving through acomparatively-small are of a circle. ver 37 being thus moved, the pin onthe arm 38 will engage the depending arm 41, and thus automaticallyoperate the locking devices which hold the platform to permit the latterto be projected and the ladder to be dropped, in the manner hereinbeforeexplained.

The le- Should it be desired to release the escape manually, this can beaccomplished by pulling the cord 44, whereupon the lever 37 will beturned and the pin on the arm 39 of said lever made to engage and movethe depending arm 41, thus setting free the platform and ladder. Whenthe cord is pulled, the

" engagement of the shoulder 42 on the lever, 37 with one of the pins 43on the drum will cause the latter to be turned until the shoul-. derrides off of said pin, whereupon the drum will be released and berotated in the reverse,

direction by the weight.

One end of the lever 20 (by means of which the bar 16 is locked) isadapted to move in a guide 46, secured in the casing, and is providedwith an inwardly-projecting lug 47, normally disposed in the path of anarm 48 projecting from the drum. After the platform shall have beenprojected and disposed parts as above described it will be seen thatwhen the devices are first operated the ladder will be made to descendsome distance outwardly from the wall of the building and that theladder will be stopped such distance from the ground as not to be liableto strike a person who might be there and who was not aware of theexistence of a fire and the consequent necessity for a fire-escape. Itwill also be seen that soon after the platform and ladder shall havethus been automatically released the ladder will be allowed to assume aproper position for use.

It is quite desirable that a warning be given not only to persons on theground, but to persons in the building that the ladder is descending topositionfor immediate use. this purpose a spring-actuated bell 49 isattached to the reel on which the ladder is wound,

and the motor mechanism of the bell is provided with a lug adapted tonormally engage an arm 50 on the platform, and thus retain the bellmechanism at rest when the platform and ladder are iuclosed within thecasing. As soon, however, as the platform is released the arm 49 willleave the arm 50 and the bell will commence to ring and will continue toring during the descent of the ladder and for fifteen minutes after thereel shall have reached the pavement.

It is desirable that the ladder be drawn taut when in use, and for thispurpose arms 51 52 are connected with the shaft of the reel 2 by meansof collars 53, and said arms are provided with eyes 54 at their freeends to engage hooks 55, secured in the pavement.

For,

The arms 51 52 are pivotally attached to the collars 53, so that theymay be normally folded within the reel when the apparatus is not inactual use. The collars 53 may be mounted loosely on the shaft of thereel and one (or both) of them provided with a dog 56 to engageratchet-teeth 57 on said shaft, and

the latter will be provided with a lever 58, (preferably pivotallyconnected thereto, so that it can be normally folded within the reel,)by means of which the reel cai be turned to wind a portion of the ladderthereon to draw the latter taut.

Various slight changes might be made in the details of construction ofmy invention without departing from the spirit thereof or limiting itsscope, and hence I do not wish to limit myself to the precise detailsherein set forth.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a fire-escape the combination with a casing and a flexible ladder,of means for lowering the ladder at a distance outwardly from thebuilding to which the apparatus is attached, means for stopping theladder before it reaches the ground and means for subsequently loweringthe ladder to the ground and disposing it close to the building.

2. In a fire-escape, the combination with a casing, of a flexible ladderhaving one of its ends secured therein, a reel on which said ladder iswound, an automatically-operating bell and means for normallyholding theclapper at rest and releasing it when the ladder is discharged from thecasing.

3. In a fire-escape, the combination with a casing having a door, alatch for said door and a lever adapted to engage said latch, of aflexible ladder in the casing, and means for automatically operatingsaid lever to open the door of the casing when the ladder is re leased.

4. In a fire-escape, the combination with a casing having a door and alatch for said door, of a pivoted lever adapted to engage said latch, asectional platform normally disposed within the casing and adapted whenreleased to engage said lever and cause the door of the casing to beopened, and a ladder normally disposed within the casingand adapted tobe discharged over said platform.

5. In a fire-escape, the combination with a 7. In a fire-escape, thecombination with a casing, of a platform secured at one end thereto,means for projecting said platform and stoppingit at an angle to thebuilding to which the casing is secured, a flexible ladder adapted to beprojected over said platform and means for dropping the platform along-'side the building.

8. In a fire-escape, the combination with a casing having a door and alatch for the door,

of a platform normally within the casing, a flexible ladder normallywithin the platform, means for projecting the ladder outwardly from thebuilding and simultaneously opening the door of the casing and releasingthe the ladder to fall to the ground.

9. In a fire-escape the combination with a casing, of a sectionalplatform, normally inclosed therein, alatch normally engaging saidplatform, a lever for operating said latch, a cord attached to saidlever, devices between mally inclosed by said platform.

the lever and latch for operating the latter to Y release the platform,and a flexible ladder se-; cured at one end within the casing and nor-10. In a fire-escape, the combination with casing, of a sectionalplatform secured thereto and normally inclosed therein, a latch adaptedto engage said platform, across-head engaging said latch, an arm formoving saidcross-head, a lever for operating said arm to release theplatform, means for operating said lever and a ladder normally inclosedby said platform.

11. In a fire-escape, the combination with a casing, of a sectionalplatform secured at one end thereto and normally inclosed therein, of alatch for said platform, a drum, a'

weighted cord on the drum, a lever pivoted to the drum and adapted tooperate said latch, an automatically-detachable connection between saidlever and drum, a cord connected with said lever, and a ladder normallyinclosed by said platform.

12. In a fire-escape, the combination with a casing, of a sectionalplatform secured to and normally inclosed within said casing, a latchfor said platform, a drum, means for rotating said drum, a lever pivotedto the drum, two pins projecting from said lever, an arm depending fromthe latch and disposed between said pins, pins on the drum, a shoulderon the lever and disposed between the pins on the drum, a cord attachedto said lever and a ladder secured at one end within the casing andnormally inclosed by said platform.

'13. In a fire-escape, the combination witha casing, of a sectionalplatform secured thereto and normally inclosed therein, a latch for theplatform, a flexible ladder secured within the casing and inclosed bythe platform, means for operating said latch, a latch-bar, chainssecured to the platform and attached to said latch-bar for limiting thefirst movement of the platform, a chain secured at one end to the laddera few feet removed from its fixed end', said last-mentioned chainattached at its other end to said latch-bar, a lever normally holdingsaid latchrbar fixed and means for automatically operating said lever tore- 1 lease the latch-bar and the chains attached thereto.

14. In a fire-escape, the combination with a casing, of a sectionalplatform secured there to and, normally inclosed therein, a latch forsaid platform, a drum, a motor therefor, means connected with the drumfor operating said latch, a ladder secured within the casing andnormally inclosed by said platform, a latch-bar, a lever holding saidlatch-bar normally fixed, chains secured at one end to the platform andattached to the latch-bar, a

1 chain attached at one end of the ladder several feet from its fixedend and an arm on the drum for tripping said lever to release thelatch-bar after the platform and ladder shall have been released by thefirst-mentioned latch.

15. In a fire-escape the combination with a casing, of a sectionalplatform secured thereto' and normally disposed therein, a flexible 1;ladder secured within the casing and normally inclosed by said platformand a reel on which the ladder is wound also normally inclosed withinthe platform and adapted to be released with the discharge of theplatform.

16. In a fire-escape, the combination with a casing, of a sectionalplatform secured thereto and normally inclosed therein, a reel normallyinclosed by said platform,a flexible ladder wound on said reel andsecured at one end within the casing, means for releasing said platform,and a flange on the platform and adapted to engage the reel to force itout of the casing-when the platform is discharged.

17. In a fire-escape, the combination with a flexible ladder adapted tobe secured at one end to a building, of a reel on which said ladder iswound, ratchet-teeth on. the shaft of said reel, a collar mounted onsaid shaft, a

dog carried by said collar and adapted to engage said ratchet-teeth, alink pivotally attached to said collar and adapted at its free end forattachment to a hook secured in the ground, and means for rotating thereel.

18. In a fire-escape, the combination of tubular rungs, cables passingtransversely through the rungs, each rung having an internal projectioncrowding the cables out of line with the holes in the rungs throughwhich they pass.

19. In a fire escape, the, combination of tubular rungs, cables passingtransversely through the same, the wall of each rung being depressed andcrowding the cables out of line with the holes through which they pass.

20. In a fire-escape, the combination with a casing, a flexible laddertherein, tripping devices and a motor, of a cord connected at one endwith said tripping devices and fastened at its other end, and a fuseconnected with said cord, whereby when the fuse melts, the motor andtripping devices will be released and efiect the opening of the casingand release of the ladder.

21. In a lire-escape, the combination with a casing and a flexibleladder therein, of releasing devices for the ladder, a cord connected atone end with said releasing devices and fixed at its other end, saidcord being looped at intervals and fusible devices connected with saidloops whereby the cord will be slackened and permit the operation ofsaid releasing devices when one of said fusible devices releases a loopin the cord.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

CHAS. R. HARRIS.

Witnesses:

E. G. WILHELM, L. B. HARTMAN.

